


Wish Me Well

by Cyane (orphan_account)



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Apologies, Brothers, Gen, Prompt Fill, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-08-07 18:26:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7725076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Cyane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Apologies in the rain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wish Me Well

It was raining.

Not heavy rain, or violent rain. It was just cloudy and light gray covered the Oregon trees. Everything felt very relaxed. Light rain drizzled down from the sky wearily, as if it was getting to the point where age became palpable. 

Stanford looked at his brother, who had never looked so different.

Years and years of scars and going through things that Ford didn't know about. Even longer going through things that Ford _did_ know about. That man spent decades trying to bring him back.

And, of course, the brand still made his heart shake. 

He said brand.  
Stanley called it a 'tattoo' these days. He had gotten a blue tattoo over it, to cover it up.

Apparently Dipper and Mable had been trying to find out the story behind it for the entire Summer, but Stanley had said nothing. Everyone thought it was a tattoo except for Stanley and Stanford. What were the chances?

High.

Well, going by the fact that it had only been himself and Stan when it had happened- that bad memory Ford would rather forget- there was no chance anyone else could know. Stanley wasn't one to talk about injuries he had acquired, so it was doubtful that he had even mentioned it to anyone else.

"You going to keep staring at my beautiful face, Poindexter?"

Ford scowled and fought off a blush. "I'm not _staring_ , Stanley."

"Yeah, yeah you are."

"Does it hurt?"

"What?"

"The... the burn. Does it hurt, still?"

Stan's eyes widened. "Um- no. I mean, sometimes it makes my shoulder stiff, but that's just old age getting to me. Don't worry about it, Ford. It was an accident."

 _An accident_.

Similar to how when Stanley broke the machine, it was an accident. When Ford was sent through the portal, it was an accident. It didn't seem to compare with branding his own brother. 

But for now it was a tattoo. Once Ford and Stanley died, no one would ever know it was ever anything else.

He sighed and turned back to the world. The dreary, crying world. Even from his seat on the porch, Ford felt the chill of cold water down his spine. He shivered. Stan glanced at him warily. "Hey, Ford, if you're cold, you can go inside. I bet Mabel has a fire going." His twin let out a loud laugh. "It may or may not be in the fireplace. Going by that kid, it's probably consuming the house."

Ford chuckled. "She is something, isn't she?"

"They both are. They really are."

"They remind me of us."

Stanley's head snapped sideways in shock. Ford was surprised the words in his head had actually come out of his mouth, but inwardly he knew where this conversation would be going and that it would be for the best, in long-term.

"How so?"

He shrugged. "Well, Mabel reminds me of you, when you were a kid. Big dreams, loves her family, always at her brother's side, loyal, funny, happy..." He ignored- but felt smug about- the blush dusting Ley's ears. 

"And Dipper is like me," He continued. "Socially awkward. Obsessed with things and school. He forgets to do basic things like eating and sleeping, he spends hours pouring over books."

Stanley snorted. "Yeah, _he_ should be your twin."

"That's- that's not what I'm saying." Ford looked down at his twelve fingers and fidgeted. "I'm just... you know how it all played out. They are really close, now. But I offered that Dipper could join me to study, and leave his sister behind. He considered it- he was going to do it. He told Mabel and she didn't take it well; a completely normal reaction. She broke something, the rift. They were angry at each other. They spent a time apart. And then they were reunited."

"Like... like us?"

"Yes. Although it is a bit different, I feel like they are exactly like us."

Stanley looked thoughtful. "I think that they're the better version of ourselves."

"How so?" Ford asked, smirking as he quoted his brother just moments before.

"Well... for one thing, Mabel breaking the rift didn't prevent Dipper from staying. He still could've, he just didn't."

"I see. I should've stayed, even when I had the choice to go?" Ford knew that it wasn't fair to either of them- because Stanley hadn't wanted to be alone but Ford couldn't pass up opportunities because of his brother.

Stanley blinked. "No- that's not what I meant. I was talking about Mabel. She didn't screw it up. Even though she broke something, it wouldn't have stopped Dipper."

_So this is about you, Stanley. You blaming yourself for past mistakes._

"You said it yourself," Ford retorted. "That it was an accident. Both times."

"What I did stopped you from going to your dream school, Ford."

And suddenly Stanford wondered why the hell he had been so stuck on this for so many years. _His dream school_? That sounded pathetic- and stuck up, and stupid. There were lots of other schools, and there had always been other chances to get into the school. What had happened had been an accident, and because of some _stupid_ thing, Stanley had gotten kicked out and had left. And Stanford hadn't cared.

"What happened in those years after you... left?"

Stan looked surprised by the question, but just grunted. "I didn't leave, Ford. I was kicked out; and that's putting it nicely."

Ford wasn't sure how to respond so he just waited until Ley answered his original question.

"A lot happened. A lot of bad, a little good. It was a... er... complicated situation."

He didn't want to talk about it.  
Was it _that bad_? Had he gone through his darkest moments alone?

"Alright."

"I'm sorry- I really am, about what happened all those years ago, Ford. It was an accident."

"I know, Stanley. I never should've blamed you- it was an accident and I was blinded. A school shouldn't have been more important than a brother."

Ley smirked slowly.

"Been through hell."

The rain slowly started to clear.

"I'm sorry, Stanley."

"It's alright. We've _both_ been through hell."

There was a long moment of silence.

"Hey- Ford... look at that. Rain's all gone. I bet Mabel and Dipper are waiting for us, let's go back in. Family is what's important, in the end."

Ford smiled, looking up. Beams of light seemed to cut through the gray clouds. His heart, that had been weighing down on him for so long, seemed to be lifted. He nodded.

"I missed you."

"You too, Sixer. Now stop being all mopey and apologetic. I was just as terrible as your ugly mug, so there's no use letting it hold us back. Come on in."

Ford came inside.


End file.
